System for selecting recorded messages



March 12, 1946. M. BERZER 2,396,409

SYSTEM FOR SELECTING RECORDED MESSAGES Filed June 23, 1944 Patented Mar. 12,1946

SYSTEM port 1 Maurice Berzer,

SELECTING RECORDED MESSAGES West Los'Angeles, CaliL', assignmto Stanley Arndt Application June 23, 1944, Serial No. 541,778

Claims. (Cl. ire-100.2)

This invention relates to systems for reproducingcurrents from records and has as a broad object to facilitate the rapid selection and reproduction of any one of a plurality of messages recorded serially on a record.

The system is particularly useful in connection with automatic phonographs employing relatively long sound records bearing a series of different compositions in which it is desired to cause the selection and playing of any desired one of the compositions in response to some simple operation, such as the pressing of one of a plurality of push buttons or the movement of a selection lever, but it is not necessarily limited to sound records.

Briefly, I obtain the desired result in accordance with the present invention by incorporating special single frequency control recordings between the different messages or compositions on the record, each control recording being of. different frequency, in combination with selection apparatus incorporated in the reproducing equipment for running the record at high speed until the control recording preceding the desired message is reached, and then reducing the speed of the record to normal and conditioning the reproducing equipment to reproduce the message in response to that control recording.

Various specific objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description to follow of a particular system illustrated in the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic" circuit diagram of the complete system; and

Fig. 2 is a detail schematic diagram illustrating one type of filter that can be employed in the system.

For convenience of explanation, the system is shown applied toa sound reproducing system employing an endless magnetic record of the telegraphone type. It is to be understood, however, that other types of records may be employed and may be preferable in some applications of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, an endless magnetic record It! is shown looped over a driving roller H and an idler roller l2 and is moved past a pick-up i3, of any known construction, when the driving roller I I is rotated by a motor [4 through a two-speed transmission I5. The motor I4 is shown as of the induction type energized from a source of alternating current which, it may be assumed, is of substantially constant frequency. Under such conditions, the motor II will operate at a relatively constant speed, which is essential to the proper reproduction of the frequencies recorded on the record Ill.

The two-speed transmission 15 may be of any convenient construction and is for the purpose of driving the record H) at a low, normal speed during reproduction of a message and at a higher speed to quickly bring a selected message into reproducing relation with the pick-up l3.

The transmission 15 is shown as having a control lever 16 movable to the left by a spring I'I into position to drive the recbrd at high speed, and movable to the right by a solenoid l8 to drive the tape at low speed.

The pick-up I3 feeds into an amplifier l 9 which is usually desirable but may not be necessary under all conditions. The amplifier output is connected directly to a line 20 across which the input circuits of various filters F are connected and across which a speaker or reproducer 2| is adapted to be connected by a switch 22 when the solenoid i8 is energized to move the lever l6 into low speed position. Whenever the record is running at high speed, the switch 22 is open to prevent noises in the speaker 2| which would result from movement of the record past the pick-up l3 at the high or selecting speed.

The record I0 has recorded thereon a sequence of message waves interspersed with control or signal waves. In the particular modification shown, it is assumed that there are three different messages identified as Ml, M2 and M3, re-

spectively, and interspersed between successive messages there are control waves identified as SI, S2 and S3, respectively. The control wave SI precedes the message wave'Ml and so on.

The message waves may be of composite frequency such as sound waves which, when the record is moved past the pick-up l3 at low speed,

generate electric waves of frequencies in the audio range. The signal waves SI, S2 and $3, on the other hand, are preferably of single frequency, each different from the others and-preferably outside of the audio range so that they can be distinguished from the message waves by suitable filtering devices.

Ordinarily the messages Ml M2 and M3 will be relatively long as compared to the signals SI, S2 and S3 since the latter function merely to change the speed of the record. a

To start and stop and controllably vary the speed of the record II), a plurality of push buttons PBI, which has associated therewith a relay Rl, R2 or R3 and a filter F11, F2: or Far, the input ends of which; filters are all bridged across the line 20.

PB2 and P33 are provided, each of i relay 30 to ground.

The output ends of the filters are adapted to be three filters Fm, F24, Fat which are used in con-' Junction with a relay 30 to shut down the system at theend of a message.

Obviously the frequency of the current gen erated in the pick-up I 3 depends not only upon the wavelength of the record wave passing the pick-up, but on the speed at which the record travels. As has been previously indicated, the "slow speed of the record is such as to faithfully reproduce the message frequencies. The signal waves SI, S2 and S3 produce currents of one frequency when the record is travelling at slow speed and another higher frequency when the record is travelling at high speed. The filters are selectively tuned to the different frequencies generated by the different signal records at the different speeds of the record. Thus filter Fl! is tuned to the frequency resulting from movement of the signal record SI past the pick-up at fast speed, whereas the filter F1; is tuned to the frequency resulting from movement of the same signal record SI past the pick-up at slow speed.

The filters F21 and F3: are similarly tuned to the frequencies produced by movement of. the si nal records S2 and S3 past the pick-up at fast speed and the filters F2; and F3; are tuned to the frequencies produced by movement of the signal waves S2 and S3 past the pick-up at "slow" speed.

A clear understanding of the functioning of'the system can be had from the following description of the operation:

Let it be assumed that the apparatus is at rest generation of currents which pass through the filter F2: and are rectified in the associated rectifler 25. The rectified current flows through the contacts of the energized relay R2, through a line 34, and the actuating winding 26 of relay 2] to ground, thereby energizing relay 21.

As has been previously indicated, the signal portions SI, S2 and S3 of the record are relatively short, and particularly when the record is running at high speed, the signal portions move past the pick-up for only a short time. However, the relay 2! locks up with current supplied from battery 29 through its holding winding 28 and through its holding contacts to line 3| which is normally grounded over the back contact of relay 30.

The energization of relay 2! completes the energizing circuit to the solenoid l8 which moves the control lever IE to "slow position and at the ame time closes the switch 22 so that the speed of, the record I0 is reduced for normal reproduction of the message M2 and the speaker 2| is simultaneously connected to the line 20.

r The circuit remains in the condition last described until the message M2 has been completely reproduced, whereupon the signal wave S3 is moved past the pick-up I 3, generating a current of frequency which passes through the filter Fri and energizes the relay 30, causing the latter to open its back contact which opens the holding .circuits of the relays 21 and R2, thereby restoring the whole system to inactive condition, since the in-the condition shown in Fig. 1 andthat the push button P132 is actuated to cause the playing of the message M2 on the record 10. This completes a circuit from the current source 29 through the winding of relay R2 to ground at P82. thereby energizing the relay which locks up over its holding contact, a line 3|, and the back contacts of Relay R2, when energized,'also complete a circuit from battery 29 over its inner left contacts and a line 32 to a relay 33, closing the powe circuit to the motor l4 and causing the latter to drive the record ii] at high-speed, since the control lever I6 is in fast position.

As the record III is 'moved at high speed past the pick-up l3, currents of different frequency are generated as the different message and signal waves move therepast. All such waves after being amplified in the amplifier l9 are applied to the line 20 and to the input ends ofall the filters. However, they are not applied to the speaker 2| to produce noises therein because. the switch22 isopen.

As the successive signal portionsSL'SZ and S3 and M3, but they release of relay 2! de-energizes the solenoid l8 and the release of relay R2 opens the energizing circuit of the relay 33.

As has been previously indicated, the control waves SI, S2 and S3 are preferably of wavelength beyond the wave band ofthe messages M i, M2 may lie either above or below the message waveband. It is feasible to so choose the wavelengths of signals SI, S2 and S3 that they produce frequencies in the sub-audio range, say below 100 cycles, when the record is running at slow speed. The high speed may be five times as fast as the slow speed, which would throw the I frequencies generated by the signal wave Si, S2

w the filters F12, F21 and Far may be of the electrical type.

of the record move past the pick-up l3 at high speed. currents are generated corresponding in frequency to the tuning of the filters F11, F21 and Fat, respectively, and th currents will pass through the fllters. However, the output circuits of the filters Fnand F3: are open at the contacts of their associated relays RI and R3, so that the record continues to run at high speed until the signal S2-reaches the pick-up.

This cause the type, employing as their essential elements capacities and inductances, but since the frequencies Fls, F25 and F35 are to pass relatively low frequencies, they may preferably be of the mechanical one example of which is illustrated in Fig. 2. Thus the filter shown in Fig. 2 comprises a polar relay 35 having a vibratory armature 36 supported between the pole-pieces of the relay and so proportioned as to have a natural period of vibration corresponding to the frequency it is to respond to. The winding of the polar relay 35 may be connected directly to the line 20, and when current of the proper frequency is applied to the relay, its armature 36 will vibrate with constantly increasing amplitude until it closes on a contact 31 and closes a circuit from the battery 29 to the line 38 leading to the relay 30 (Fig. l)

If the wavelengths of the signal Waves SI, S2 and S3 are chosen above the audio range, it will be more practica to make all of the filters of the electrical type. Obviously many departures from the exact circuit shown can be made while still utilizing the advantages of my invention, and it is therefore to be limited only to the extent set forth in the appended claims.

As examples of changes that can be made in the particular system disclosed and-described in detail, the record in might be of other than the magnetic type. Thus, it might be in the form of a film bearing a sound track, in which case the V pick-up i3 would be of photo-cell type, or the record might be of the mechanical type, in which case the pick-up might be of conventional type having a stylus or a needle. Furthermore, the message portions of the record need not necessarily be sound records.

As an example of still another variation, each of the signal records SI, S2 and S3 could carry a second signal wave of the same wavelength on all three records SI, S2 "and S3, and one filter substituted for the three filters F23, F3: and F15, the substituted filter being responsive to the frequency produced by the second signal wave when the record is moving at slow speed. The frequency might be 20 cycles.

Another refinement that might be introduced is to connect the filter described in the preceding paragraph or the three filters F25, F35 and F15 to the line 20 on the speaker side of the switch 22, so that those filters do not have to discriminate against any of the frequencies produced during fast operation of the record.

I claim:

1. A system as described, comprising: a record bearing a plurality of sequentially spaced message waves alternated with control waves, each control wave having frequency characteristics distinguishable from the other control waves and from the message waves; reproducing means associated with said record; driving means selectively adjustable for driving said record either at a slow speed such as to intelligibly reproduce the message waves thereon or at a fast Speed for message selection; means for adjusting said driving means to drive said record at said fast speed; and means conditionable to selectively respond to one of the different reproduced waves of different frequency characteristics generated in said reproducing means by said different control waves of said record when the latter is moving at said fast speed for adjusting said driving means to drive said record at said slow speedi said message waves on said record being composite in nature and occupying a band within the essential portion of the audio spectrum, and said control waves having wavelengths lying beyond the essential portion of the audio spectrum.

2. .A system as described, comprising: a record bearing a plurality of sequentially spaced message waves alternated with control waves, each control wave having frequency characteristics distinguishable from the other control waves and from the message waves; reproducing means associated with saidrecord; driving means selectively adjustable for driving said record either at a slow speed such as to intelligibly reproduce the message waves thereon or at a fast speed for message selection; means for adjusting said driving means to drive said record at said fast speed; and means conditionable to selectively respond to one of the difi'erent reproduced waves of different frequency characteristics generated in said reproducing means by said different control waves of said record when the latter is moving at said fast speed for adjusting said driving means to drive said record at said slow speed, said message waves occupying a wave band corresponding to the audio spectrum, and said control waves lying below the audio spectrum.

3. A system as described, comprising: a record bearing a plurality of sequentially spaced message waves alternated with control waves, each control wave having frequency characteristics distin-,

guishable from the other control waves and from the message waves; reproducing means associated with said record; driving means selectively adjustable for driving said record either at a slow speed such as to intelligibly reproduce the message waves thereon or at a fast speed for message selection; means for adjusting said driving means to drive said record at said fast speed; and means conditionabie to selectively respond to one of the different reproduced waves of different frequency characteristics generated in said reproducing means by said different control waves of said record when the latter is moving at said fast speed for adjusting said driving means to drive said record at said slow speed, said message waves occupying a wave band corresponding to the audio spectrum, and said control waves lying above the audio spectrum.

4. A system as described, comprising: a record bearing a plurality of sequentially spaced message waves alternated with control waves, each control wave having frequency characteristics distinguishable from the other control waves and from the message waves; reproducing means associated with said record; driving means selec-' tively adjustable for driving said record either at a slow speed such as to intelligibly reproduce the message waves thereon or at a fast speed for mes sage selection; means for adjusting said drivin means to drive said record at said fast speed; and

means conditionable to selectively respond to one said reproducing means by the control waves of said record when the record is moving at said slow speed for stopping said driving means.

5. A system as described, comprising: a record bearing a plurality of sequentially spaced message waves alternated with control waves, each control wave having frequency characteristics 1 distinguishable from the other control waves and from the message waves; reproducing means associated with said record; driving means selectively adjustable for driving said record either at a slow speed such as to'intelligibly reproduce the message waves thereon or at a fast speed for message selection; means for adjusting said drivin means to drive said record at said fast speed; and means conditionable to selectively respond to one of the different reproduced waves of different frequency characteristics generated in said repro ducing eans by said different control waves of said record when the latter is moving at said fast speed for adjusting said driving means to drive said record at said slow speed, said reproducin means including message repeating means; and means for disabling said repeating means during operation of said record at said fast speed.

MAURICE BERZER. 

